


That Other's May Live

by templarhalo



Series: Brave New World [1]
Category: Godzilla (2014), Godzilla - All Media Types, Godzilla - Fandom
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, I literally gave a character an Uncle just to kill him off, Let alone write fic for, M/M, The Author Regrets Everything, This is literally the last fandom I expected to be obsessesd with, This is the longest one shot ever. Of all time.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-18
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2020-06-29 17:43:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19835329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/templarhalo/pseuds/templarhalo
Summary: So I've seen Godzilla:King of the Monsters three times now, and I couldn't help but want to  write an AU where Dr. Serisawa lives.Unfortunately this means someone else had to set off the Nuke to save Godzilla.This somebody just happened to be Madison Russel's maternal Uncle Major Adam Williams, Air Force Pararescue and attache to Monarch.





	That Other's May Live

**Author's Note:**

> "It is my duty as a Pararescueman to save life and to aid the injured. I will be prepared at all times to perform my assigned duties quickly and efficiently, placing these duties before personal desires and comforts. These things I do, that others may live."
> 
> Pararescuman's creed.

Major Adam Williams suppressed a groan of pure annoyance as one of his elected representatives said the second dumbest thing he had ever heard a human being utter in his thirty-nine years on this earth. 

_Sure, let’s kill the sleeping animals who haven’t done anything to deserve it. If we fail its not like they’ll get pissesd and cause the very disastees we tried to prevent by killing them in their sleep. What a wonderful idea!_

“Killing them would be a mistake. They returned because of us. It was our atomic testing that awoke Gojira. Other creatures like the MUTOs. From strip-mining and seismic surveys. But these are not MONSTERS! They are animals, rising to reclaim a world that was once theirs!” Dr. Ichiro Serizawa said. 

“It almost sounds like you're protecting them, Dr. Serizawa. As if you admire them.”

  
“I admire all forms of life. “ the head of Monarch said as he stood up.

“ Senators. If we hope to survive, we must find ways to coexist with titans. With - Gojira.”

“A sort of symbiotic relationship, if you will. The lion and the mouse.” Dr. Viviviane Graham said,

“Or the scorpion and the frog. So you'd want to make Godzilla our pet?” A senator replied into the tone of a cynic.

“ No. We would be his.” Dr. Serisawa replied. 

Adam rose. He was of average height and build, with sandy hair and blue eyes. Unlike his colleagues in Monarch, he was clad in the dress uniform of an officer of the United States Air Force. He wore the maroon beret of a Parescuman and his uniform coat showed the insignia of the 103rd Pararescue squadron. His chest was heavy with honors. There were multiple Purple Hearts, a Silver Stair and an Air Force Cross. The scars and long since healed burns that adorned his face were another type of honor for his long service to his country.

Adam’s role in Monarch was simple. He was the bridge between the military personal who wanted the Titan’s exterminated and his friends in Monarch who hoped for coexistence When there was an incident, it was his job to coordinate Search and Rescue Operations, and liaise with other military officers to ensure things ran smoothly. 

“Senators, I lost a husband and a nephew in the 2014 attack, but Dr. Serisawa is right. Killing the Titan’s would be a mistake. I’m not saying its wrong to consider countermeasures, but Monarch has been dealing with these Titans for decades. If we leave these creatures alone, they will leave us alone. Simple as that.”

Adam was about to continue speaking when Serisawa tugged on his sleeve.

_Something is wrong_ The wisest man he knew mouthed. 

* * *

  
  


Adam sighed as the Osprey landed. 

He hadn’t seen Mark in years. Not since the divorce. Adam had thrown himself into work and being there for Madison as Mark put himself back together after overcoming his alcoholism.

Madison’s last email before she and her mother had been taken hostage indicated Mark was doing well. Adam certainly hoped so. When the stakes were high, and lives were on the line, every person involved in an operation had to be at a 100%.

The Osprey doors opened and Adam followed Dr. Serizawa out to meet his former brother-in law.

* * *

“I can’t believe you let her go through with it.” Mark Russel said angrily.

Adam surpassed a sigh. 

“Mark, we needed a viable countermeasure against the Titans that didn’t involve giant robots or weapons worse than nukes.” Adam replied coolly.

Mark stared at them dumbfounded at them and shook his head.

“So Emma turns something designed to maneuver whales from the shoreline into a damn Titan turkey caller? Listen to me they'll think it's one o' them. You use the wrong frequency on one of 'em - You're gonna be responsible for a thousand San Franciscos.”

“Which is why we need your help to find it.” Dr. Serizawa said.

"Once you locate the ORCA, Colonel Foster will lead a team in to rescue Madison and Emma, I'll put a 12-gauge slug through Alan Jonah's skull and we're back home in time for dinner." Adam said.

"And that's it?" Mark said skeptically. 

"That's it." Adam said calmly. 

* * *

“FUCK FUCK FUCK!” Adam cursed as he and the others ran like hell out of the facility.

He knew things were likely to go pear shaped, but sweet jesus. He was not expecting the absolute worst-case scenario. 

Monster Zero: awake and fighting Godzilla.

His niece and sister: still hostages of an eco-terrorist with a disturbing resemblance to the actor Charles Dance.

His bowels: voided.

The mission had gone well at first, but then they had been ambushed, the casualties had mounted and now they were all running for their lives.

Monster Zero was the most terrifying thing Adam had ever seen. It was a three headed dragon, larger and more nightmarish than any fantasy author could envision. Any hope of it being benevolent or at least indifferent to humans had evaporated faster than human dignity at a Black Friday sale.

Adam was the last to clamber into the Osprey. Everyone was screaming at the pilot to take off, but the lightning Monster Zero unleashed had fried the Osprey's electronics.

Monster Zero' s three heads began snapping at the disabled chopper.

What should have been their salvation would now be their tomb. There was no worse scenario for Adam. Dying in battle was one thing, but dying, because you were helpless to save yourself was another. 

Above them Godzilla roared a challenge at Monster Zero.

The three headed Titan roared back and charged Godzilla. 

“Everybody hang on!” Colonel Foster yelled as the V-22 was sent sliding and bouncing across the ice and snow.

The helicopter skidded to a stop at the edge of a cliff created by Godzilla’s battle with Monster Zero.

_This day keeps getting better and better._ Adam thought as he pulled the manual release for the bay door.

“Everybody out!” Colonel Foster yelled. The survivors of perhaps the second most unsuccessful Monarch operation of all time scrambled out of the wrecked Osprey.

As they made their way across the ice, the battle between the two Titans continued.

Adam hated being out in the open like this.

_Would that I had a Davy Crocket to shoot at that three headed bastard_ Adam thought

He shook the thought away, A Davy Crocket wouldn’t do shit to the Titan matching Godzilla blow for blow.

“Keep Moving!” Barnes yelled as Monster Zero turned his attention to the fleeing humans.

Adam’s legs were on fire. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest. He was wearing some 50 pounds of equipment, but it felt like he was running with three times that amount on his body.

Every fiber of his body wished the weight he was bearing was his niece on his back to carry her to safety and not body armor, medical supplies and ammunition. 

He heard Monster Zero let out a roar of exultation and triumph. Adam, could only watch in a mixture of awe and horror as it spread its wings and took off.

He looked up and watch it fly away, where to, Adam had no idea.

He turned and saw his former brother-in law lying in a heap in the snow.

Adam couldn’t do anything to stop Monster Zero, and his niece, sister and their captors were long gone. But Adam could do his job and save lives.

* * *

  


“ I don’t believe this.” Adam said as he nursed a mug of black tea.

“I know Major. But I know what I saw. She pushed that detonator and awoke that…. thing.” 

“With all due respect are we forgetting the fact that my sister is a hostage? That Madison is being used as leverage for her compliance?”

“She’s right. Adam. As much as I don’t want to believe it. I saw her push that detonator. Jonah didn’t have a gun pointed at the back of her head or at Madison’s.” Mark said.

Adam scrunched his eyes shut and took another sip of his tea. He was trying to be calm, trying to be logical. Right now he wanted to punch Mark in the face, but he knew that wouldn’t accomplish anything

He but back a snarl of anger. Trying to reconcile his older sister, The one who’d read to him as a child, helped him with homework and papers. Who’d told him he’d be the Godfather to a beautiful little girl, with one who would betray the organization she dedicated her life to, who would willingly awaken a titan, knowing, friends and family would be collateral damage was impossible.

Adam turned to Dr. Serizawa. The doctor was silent, his gaze locked on a monitor displaying the list of those killed in action during the Antarctica operation.

The air was heavy with tension and grief. For a moment nobody spoke or even breathed.

Than Sam Coleman told them they had a call coming through.

* * *

  


“Dad, Uncle Adam are you guys okay?” Madison asked.

Adam felt his heart break. There were dark circles under his niece’s eyes. She looked on the verge of tears. Madison was a fierce, snarky, kindhearted girl. She shouldn’t have looked so broken and scared.

Anger coiled in his guts and Adam found himself clenching his fists.

“We’re fine kiddo, nothing but a few bruises.” Adam forced himself to say.

“I’m... I’m sorry.” Madison choked out.

“You have nothing to feel sorry for Maddie. None of this is your fault. You understand me? Your dad and I are going to find you and we’re going to bring you home.”

Madison was about to say something, but her mother gently shoved her out of the frame.

“Tell me why Emma.” Adam said, his voice breaking. 

I’m saving the world.” Emma said.

“By releasing those things? That doesn’t make sense." Mark replied.

“As impossible as it seems, it does. Hear me out, Mark. After we lost Andrew, I swore his death would not be in vain. That I would find an answer. A solution to why the Titans were rising. But as I dug deeper, I realized that they were here for a reason. And that despite all the years that we spent trying to stop them, we never dared to confront the truth.”

“Which truth?”

“Humans have been the dominant species for thousands of years, and look what’s happened. Overpopulation. Pollution. War. The mass extinction we feared has already begun. And we are the cause. We are the infection. But like all living organisms, the Earth unleashed a fever to fight this infection. Its original and rightful rulers. The Titans. They are part of the Earth’s natural defense system. A way to protect the planet, to maintain its balance. But if governments are allowed to contain them, destroy them, or use them for war, the human infection will only continue to spread. And within our lifetime, our planet will perish, and so will we. Unless we restore balance. They are the only thing that can reverse the destruction that we started. They are the only guarantee that life will carry on. But for that to happen, we must set them free.”

“You are murdering the world.” Dr. Chen said in horror

“ No. Because as difficult as this will be, I promise, humanity will not go extinct. Using the Orca, we will return to a natural order. A forgotten order where we coexisted in balance with the Titans. The first gods.”

“This is a dangerous path. You are meddling with forces beyond our comprehension. Gambling with the lives of billions!” Dr. Serisawa

“And what are you gambling with, Serizawa? Monarch is broken. It’s on the verge of being shut down by a government whose only objective is to eradicate the creatures. And if that happens, what will our chances be? Emma said coldly,

“You are out of your goddamn mind! First, you put our daughter’s life in danger, and now you get to decide the fate of the world. That’s rich, Emma.” Mark Russel snapped.

”I couldn’t be more sane, and Madison couldn’t be stronger. After we lost Andrew, After my brother lost his husband Keith. I trained her to survive. And at least now, she will have a fighting chance.” Adam’s sister said softly

“ No Emma, I trained her to survive. I showed how to throw a punch, use a first aid kit, how to make a fire, how to use a gun. What you’ve done,... It’s evil plain and simple” Adam said

Emma was about to speak but Adam cut his older sister off. 

“You don’t get to use your son’s name, You don’t get to invoke my husband’s name! You don’t get to get to take your own daughter hostage and awaken a monster that’s going to kill thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people. Vivienne is dead Emma! That thing you awoke killed her! You think people are going to thank you for what you’ve done? Use your goddamn brain, and think of what your talking about! You're gambling with every single life on this planet just so you can play God! This isn’t co-existence Emma,t his is a fucking extinction level event you’ve started out of your arrogance, and stupidity!”

No one had seen the Major so angry. His fists shook and his face was contorted in a cold fury

“I’m going to give you a choice Emma. You and your friend can turn yourselves in right now. You’ll get a fair trial and Madison can come home and have a future. Or when this is all over, I will hunt you and your friend Tywin to the ends of the earth, and drag you before the ICC myself.”

“I’m giving her a future Adam, what future would you give her little brother? One where mankind tears this planet apart? Where she has to live in fear of Titans all her life? A future ruled by death and destruction?”

“I could ask you the same question! Don’t you understand what you’ve done! You might as well have put a gun to Madison’s head and pulled the fucking trigger!” Adam roared.

“Why don’t you listen to yourself? It’s not all math, Emma. Some things you can’t control.” Her ex-husband said

“And there are some things that you can’t run from!” Emma snarled 

“This won’t bring him back to us. This won’t bring Keith back to us either. Adam’s right. What you’re doing…. It’s evil.” Mark said.

Emma sighed

“I can only urge you all to take refuge. Over the last sixty years, Monarch has prepared bunkers around the world to save and restart civilization. I suggest you find them.”

The feed cut out.

Adam smashed his fist into a console. 

* * *

  


“Colonel sitrep on preventing the ORCA signal?” Adam asked.

“It’s not looking good Major. What’s your ETA on evacuation?” 

Adam looked out the window of his Pave Hawk. Thousands were still making their way to the evacuation sites. The men and women under his command were doing their best, but they simply didn’t have enough personal or material to get everyone out. 

“We still have civies in the city, no way we can get them out all out in time. If you can’t stop whatever sleeping in that volcano from waking up, I’ll need forces to draw it away from the Isle De Mara.”

Whatever his commanding officer was going to say next was drowned out by the sound of a volcano erupting. Smoke began to choke the air as a creature resembling a giant pterodactyl began to emerge.

Titanus Rodan let out a screech and took to the skies, magma dripped off his wings as he soared over Isle de Mara.

Adam jerked in his seat as magma landed on the Pave Hawk. Adam heard the sound of collapsing buildings as the helicopter spun wildly.

“We’re going down!” the pilot, a Warrant Officer by the name of Hudson. screamed.

The last thing Adam heard before unconsciousness claimed him was the screech of Rodan.

* * *

  


Adam awoke to the sound of his pilot screaming.

His head was pounding as he looked around. He realized the helicopter had slammed into a building that had collapsed. They had landed on the chopper’s right side. The Co-pilot was dead. Her neck twisted at an unnatural angle. One of his door gunners was missing. The other was trying to calm the screaming pilot down.

“It’s gonna be alright man.” The other door gunner said.

“I can’t feel my legs! I can’t feel my motherfucking legs!” Hudson screamed

“Warrant Officer I need you to calm down right now!” Adam shouted as he undid his crash harness and slid himself to the right bay door. 

Adam sniffed the air, He didn’t smell any leaking fuel, which was a good sign.

The left bay door of the bird had been torn off in the crash. Adam looked at his remaining door gunner, a young red haired Specialist whose name tape read Woods.

Adam grabbed his shotgun and slung his ruck on his back. 

“Grab your gear.” Adam ordered as he heaved himself out of the chopper.

Specialist Woods followed him out,

Adam handed her his radio. "Get me Barnes, tell him we need an evac ASAP. If you can’t raise him raise the Argo. If you can’t get them, get me somebody." He opened his ruck and retrieved his Jaws of Life, and the medical supplies he’d need to treat the wounded pilot. He handed Woods a flare gun as well.

“Spare flares are in the side pouch.” He told her.

Adam surveyed the wrecked chopper. It would be difficult to get Hudson out. Difficult but not impossible.

* * *

It took ten minutes to get WO-2 Hudson out of the wrecked chopper. It took fifteen minutes to patch him up. And another five minutes for the damaged Osprey Barnes and the last of evacuees were in to pick them up.

As the Osprey sputtered and gasped over the sea, Adam’s couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread in his gut. Something terrible was going to happen. 

The Osprey gave another scream of protest, the chopper didn’t have much left in her. 

“Everybody hang on!” the pilot yelled.  


The Osprey gave one final shudder as it crashed into the Argo’s hanger, the rear door opened with the growl of protesting hydraulics. Adam slung the injured Hudson onto his back and staggered out of the wrecked chopper. 

“Out of the Way!” he yelled as he carried the injured pilot to the awaiting medics.

* * *

Adam sighed as he followed Mark to the flight deck of Castle Bravo.

“So let me get this straight, you're going to leave to find Madison, without any idea of where she is, without any backup or real plan, while the titans are destroying everything in sight at this Ghidorah’s bidding?”

"I have to do something. Adam. I can't just sit her-

“You think I don’t want to go find her? You don’t think I want to hold her in my arms, hug her and tell everything’s going to be okay and promise nobody will ever hurt her again? But running off on a suicide mission when we need everybody on deck to kill Ghidorah is not going to help Madison one bit.”

Mark shook his head.

“I wasn’t there for her Adam. Not like you were.” 

“God dammit Mark, this isn’t about who was here for Maddie or who wasn’t. You’re no good to her dead you understand me? Don’t run off and play hero out of a misplaced sense of guilt! You needed time after Andrew, and there was no shame in that! The drinking yes, the words you said to my- to Emma, but there was no shame in taking time to heal.” Adam exclaimed.

Mark looked at him. 

Then the rain broke, and the Queen of the Monsters descendedin an aura of light.

  


* * *

  


“It’s like a song.” Dr. Chen said with a smile.

“It’s a call. She’s calling somebody.” Adam said as he wiped tears from his eyes. Mothra’s song reminds him of how Keith sang. Keith liked to sing acapella, old songs and latest hits.

"I bet there's only person who can understand that call." Dr. Stanton said .

Dr. Serisawa' s expression morphed into one of realization. 

“Dr. Stanton can you can locate Godzilla?” the scientist asked.

There was the sound of rapid tapping of a keyborad.

“It’s weak, but I got it.” 

Adam let out a sigh of relief. For the first time since his sister’s betrayal, he felt like things might work out.

* * *

  


With a grunt of effort Madison pried open the lock to the racks of supplies. She grabbed water, a medkit, a pair of binoculars, a Swiss Army Knife, a surivval knife and some MRE’s. Her Uncle had taught her how to survive, and Madison had no idea how long it would be until she’d be back with Monarch.

Slinging the backpack over her shoulder, she made her way the bunker’s command center, fortunately for her, no one noticed a twelve year old grab the ORCA.

With everything she needed, Madison returned to her room and opened the cover to the purposely oversized air vents. Now all she had to do was shimmy through the vents like Solid Snake and make her way to the bunker’s exit. 

With luck, her plan to lure Ghidorah and the other Titans to Boston would work, and she could make her way back to Monarch, and her dad and Uncle.

  


* * *

As far as plans went, Adam thought this was a pretty stupid one. Take a submarine to Godzilla, shoot him with a nuke, and pray he woke up and killed Ghidorah.

Still, they were running out of time and options. If Ghidorah wasn’t killed, there would be no future for anybody, only extinction.

As the submarine descended into the depths, Adam hoped Madison was alright.

* * *

Madison knew as plans went, her's was pretty stupid, after all, who would willingly summon monsters to their position?

Still she couldn’t just stand by while people were in danger. Her Mom had started this mess, and it was on Madison’s shoulders to help clean it up.  


Digging into her pack, she retried one of the MRE’s and her binoculars, wherever her Dad and Uncle were, she hoped they were safe.

* * *

“I told you Chen!” Dr Stanton exclaimed.

“Shut up Mark!” the Mythographer snapped. Adam laughed. It felt good to laugh, even if the two scientists bickering wasn’t that funny. “Launch probes.” Dr. Serizawa ordered as the submarine resumed its journey.

What the Probe’s saw made Adam feel like a kid again. 

There was an ancient civilization that coexisted with monsters. How cool was that? The ancient carvings showed scenes of life itself. Human’s farming, living their lives, even waging war alongside, the titans. It gave Adam a sense of giddiness.

"We should stop.” Dr. Stanton said.

“Why?” Dr. Serizawa said. 

“Because I still want to have kids one day.” Dr. Stanton, said as he pointed to the indicators of lethal radiation. 

The probes continued their journey, two of them succumbed to the sheer hostility of the environment, the radiation, mix of gases and pressure crushing them

One made its way to the target and caught a glimpse of Godzilla before it too succumbed to the environment.

“So that’s how he’s survived, all these years. He’s been feeding off the radiation, adapting, evolving.” Mark said in wonder.  


“So the big guy’s fine. He just needs a nap.” Dr. Stanton said.

“No. This process could take, decades, centuries, even, we must proceed as planned.” Dr. Serisawa said.

“Their’s a complication, our weapons systems were damaged in the crash. We can’t launch." the submarine captain said. 

“Can they be repaired?” Dr. Chen asked.

“I’m afraid not.” The Captain said.

Adam looked to the last image the drone transmitted.

_“I’m giving her a future Adam, what future would you give her little brother? One where mankind tears this planet apart? Where she has to live in fear of Titans all her life? A future ruled by death and destruction?_

“I’ll go.” Adam said.

Serizawa was about to protest but Adam cut him off. “You’re the head of Monarch, don’t even think about arguing with me on this.”

He removed his maroon beret and dog tags and handed them to Mark.

“Give these to Maddie. I have a will and my journal in my quarters, I trust you can handle the rest.”

“So that’s it? You’re just going to go set off the Nuke? There's gotta be another way." Mark said.

“There’s no choice. Mark. No other way. I can’t ask anyone else to do this. This is my responsibility. My duty. All my life, the things I’ve done have been so that others may live. This is no different.”

* * *

"Hey asshole." Adam said softly. Even this close, Godzilla’s scale was still difficult to take in. 

"I know you're probably tired and grumpy, and I am too. This isn't how I pictured myself going out. I figured I'd die with my shotty in my hands, or a pistol in one hand and a knife in other in Iraq. But I'm pararescue, and I've been trained to save lives, so I guess giving my life to save yours isn't so bad."  


"Mothra's calling you. Chen called her the Queen of the Monster's, so I guess that makes you the King. And I guess that makes me a knight or peasant or something. Well I know one thing, a king who doesn't protect his subjects is no king at all!" 

He fell to his knees, the radiation and heat taking their toll. With the last of his strength he pried off his helmet. The air was thick and heavy, and his chest began to heave and ache.

"My niece, Madison, my little warrior princess won't have a future unless you get off your was your ass you hear me! The greatest man I know put his faith in you. I'm putting my faith in you you big green bastard! I'm dying for you, you radioactive dinosaur! So don't waste my life. Don't have other’s faith that you’re more than a monster be misplaced."

He looked Godzilla in his eyes.

"I doubt you can understand me anyway, but Serizawa said you and the other titans were smarter than we gave you credit for. So if you did thanks for listening. ”

Adam had nothing more to say. He tried to block out the thought that his sister’s betrayal had led to his death, but it lingered in his final moments even as he tried to focus on happier times.

The world went white. Fire swept over him, Hotter than when he was burned by an exploding fuel line on Blackhawk in his first years as a Pararescumen, hotter than the great cavern he was in. For a brief moment his agony cut through the happy memories he was trying to hold on to. His completion of his Pararescue training. His marriage to his husband Keith. Showing Madison how to throw a punch, taking watching episodes of Xena with her and helping her with her homework. 

  


Than there was nothing. Nothing at all. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Oh stranger, tell the Lacedaemonians that  
> we lie here, obedient to their words
> 
> Epitah of Simonides, regarding the 300 Spartans who gave their lives at the Battle of Thermopylae.
> 
> Comments and kudos are much appreciated.


End file.
